Text 973, 83 rader
Skriven 2006-03-22 05:11:34 av Bob Hoffman (8:8/2)
Ärende: Grace for the Humble
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Faith's Checkbook

March 22 Grace for the Humble "He giveth grace unto the humble"
(James 4:6). Humble hearts seek grace, and therefore they get it. Humble hearts
yield to the sweet influences of grace, and so it is bestowed on them more and
more largely. Humble hearts lie in the valleys where streams of grace are
flowing, and hence they drink of them. Humble hearts are grateful for grace and
give the LORD the glory of it, and hence it is consistent with His honor to
give it to them. Come, dear reader, take a lowly place. Be little in thine own
esteem, that the LORD may make much of thee. Perhaps the sigh breaks out,
"I fear I am not humble." It may be that this is the language of true
humility. Some are proud of being humble, and this is one of the very worst
sorts of pride. We are needy, helpless, undeserving, hell deserving creatures,
and if we are not humble we ought to be. Let us humble ourselves because of our
sins against humility, and then the LORD will give us to taste of His favor. It
is grace which makes us humble, and grace which finds in this humility an
opportunity for pouring in more grace. Let us go down that we may rise. Let us
be poor in spirit that God may make us rich. Let us be humble that we may not
need to be humbled but may be exalted by the grace of God.
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A peculiar, indescribable, invincible power (Philpot, "The Word of Men and
the Word of God") "Our gospel did not come to you in word only, but
also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction." 1 Thes.
1:5 The gospel comes to some in word only. They hear the word of the gospel,
the sound of truth; but it reaches the outward ear only—or if it touches
the inward feelings, it is merely as the word of men. But where the Holy Spirit
begins and carries on His divine and saving work, He attends the word with a
peculiar, an indescribable, and yet an invincible power. It falls as from God
upon the heart. He is heard to speak in it—and in it His glorious Majesty
appears to open the eyes, unstop the ears, and convey a message from His own
mouth to the soul. Some hear the gospel as the mere word of men, perhaps for
years before God speaks in it with a divine power to their conscience. They
thought they understood the gospel—they thought they felt it—they
thought they loved it. But all this time they did not see any vital distinction
between receiving it as the mere word of men, and as the word of God. The
levity, the superficiality, the emptiness stamped upon all who merely receive
the gospel as the word of men—is sufficient evidence that it never sank
deep into the heart, and never took any powerful grasp upon their soul. It
therefore never brought with it any real separation from the world—never
gave strength to mortify the least sin—never communicated power to escape
the least snare of Satan—was never attended with a spirit of grace and
prayer—never brought honesty, sincerity, and uprightness into the heart
before God—never bestowed any spirituality of mind, or any loving
affection toward the Lord of life and glory. It was merely the reception of
truth in the same way as we receive scientific principles, or learn a language,
a business, or a trade. It was all . . . shallow, superficial, deceptive,
hypocritical. But in some unexpected moment, when little looking for it, the
word of God was brought into their conscience with a power never experienced
before. A light shone in and through it which they never saw before . . . a
majesty, a glory, an authority, an evidence accompanied itwhich they never knew
before. And under this light, life, and power they fell down, with the word of
God sent home to their heart. When then Christ speaks the gospel to the
heart— when He reveals Himself to the soul—when His word, dropping
as the rain and distilling as the dew, is received in faith and love—He
is embraced as the chief among ten thousand and the altogether lovely
one—He takes His seat upon the affections and becomes enthroned in the
heart as its Lord and God. Is there life in your bosom? Has God's power
attended the work? Is the grace of God really in your heart? Has God spoken to
your soul? Have you heard His voice, felt its power, and fallen under its
influence? "And we also thank God continually because, when you received
the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of
men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is effectually at work in
you who believe." 1 Thes. 2:13

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